The earliest dentist known by name is Hesi-Re. He lived in Egypt over 5000 years ago

Hesi-Re was a high official who lived during the reign of Netjerikhet (Dosjer). He was the 'overseer of the royalscribes', at the head of the royal administration of Djoser.

His most spectacular title, however, was that of the 'greatest (or chief ? )of physicians and dentists'. It is not entirely clear whether this title infers that Hesire himself was honoured as the greatest of physicians and dentists, or rather that he was merely responsible for the administration of physicians and dentists. But whatever the case, the distinction between 'physicians' and 'dentists' in his titulary does show a high degree of medical specialisation at this early stage of the history of Ancient Egypt.